Vehicles commonly have a power distribution box to provide power to various electrical circuits within the vehicle and to provide power-limiting devices, such as fuses and circuit breakers, to the circuits. The power-limiting devices prevent too much power from being drawn through the wires in the circuits. Connecting new devices to the power distribution box can be difficult because most power distribution boxes do not provide an interface for aftermarket devices.
Instead, vehicles typically have vehicle power outlets, often in the form of a cigar lighter, to power aftermarket devices within the vehicle. The outlets usually interface with the power distribution box to limit the power drawn through the outlet. The outlets receive plugs attached to portable devices. But the connection from the outlet to the plugs is intended to be temporary and the plugs are easily removed from the outlets. Some vehicle accessories are intended to be permanently installed in a vehicle, however, and therefore, it may be desirable to provide a more permanent connection to power the accessory. It may also be desirable to keep the outlet available for other devices. Moreover, some accessories require a high power draw. The use of such accessories while other devices are connected to the same circuit as the outlet may exceed the limit on the power-limiting device and cause it to cut off power to the circuit.